


Divided

by NeptuneCat15



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:33:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23819965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeptuneCat15/pseuds/NeptuneCat15
Summary: A great war is upon the Clans.Two lovers thrust apart. A brother versus a sister. Friends that cannot draw the blood of one another and a queen with little spare, but everything to lose.There will be death.There will be justice.The plot for this story was created rosellecrowns on Wattpad. I am NeptuneWish15 on their as well so this story is mine. If you are ready this on any site other than Wattpad or here (Archive of Our Own) than it was stolen.
Kudos: 4





	1. Allegiances

**Author's Note:**

> These lists are complete of all the cats in the clans. Some appearances may not be possible in the real life, but there are no unnatural colors. The main cats mentioned in the plot are Torchmask (Burningclan) and Shockstrike (Chasmclan), Tadberry (Frozen/Burning) and Frostbite (Chasm/Frozen), Larkcry (Chasmclan) and Briarwish (Burningclan), and Cricketsoar (Connectclan).

**BURNINGCLAN  
The strong and determined**

**"Be strong enough to stand alon, be yourself enough to stand apart, but be wise enough to stand together when the time comes."**

**Burningclan cats tend to be on the dark colored side. You will not find many silvers, whites, creams, or light gingers in this clan. They reside in the dark parts of the forest, to the north of the rest of clans. Ash constantly covers the forest floor from the volcano at the northern edge of their territory. It is currently dormant, but the ash that floats down into their territory makes them think that one day it will destroy them all.**

**Leader:  
** _Padstar_ \- Large black tom with white patches on his paw pads and nose. He has green eyes and he's the eldest leader in the forest. **  
**

 **Deputy:  
** _Torchmask -_ Dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes. His fur is sleek and close-cropped to his body. **  
**

 **Medicine Cat:  
** _Wolfflame -_ Small shaggy gray tom with murky green eyes. He has a black undercoat so that his appearance often looks darker.  
 **Medicine Cat Apprentice:**  
 _Tigerpaw -_ Russet marbled, short-furred tom with green eyes and splayed hind paws.

 **Warriors:  
** _Darkclaw -_ Blackish brown, imposing tom with fierce yellow eyes. He has broad shoulders and bigger paws than most.  
 _Raccoonslip -_ Gray she-cat with black stripes stretching from her forehead to her tail. Green eyes and slender frame. Apprentice: Wonderpaw  
 _Wasptail -_ Dark gray tabby tom with dark amber eyes. His tail tip is black and his fur is a little thicker than normal.  
 _Briarwish -_ Dusky brown she-cat with lighter undersides and dark facial tabby markings and white paws. Blue eyes and kind of resembles a Snowshoe cat. Apprentice: Hivepaw  
 _Pumastorm -_ Russet, dark brown colorpoint tom with green eyes and a lanky build.  
 _Mottledfur -_ Dark colored dappled she-cat with a torn upper lip and dark amber eyes. Her left ear is completely missing.  
 _Oakspots -_ Spotted cinnamon and black tom with a white belly patch and dark amber eyes.  
 _Sweetpath -_ Dark ginger rossetted tom with a black tail tip and dark green eyes. He's tall and slim with longer claws than most.  
 _Fleettuft_ \- Dark sandy and white tom with pale amber eyes and gray speckles.  
 _Dappleshade -_ Dark gray dappled she-cat with dark amber eyes and dark gray spots on her hips.

 **Apprentices:**  
 _Tigerpaw -_ Russet marbled tom with green eyes, splayed hind paws.  
 _Wonderpaw -_ Blue/black she-cat with peircing yellow eyes. A blaze of white on her forehead makes her stand out, hince her name, Wonder.  
 _Hivepaw -_ Pale ginger striped tabby tom with white patches on his rump, shoulders, and belly. Dark amber eyes. 

**Queens:  
** _Antbelly -_ Dark red she-cat with a visible line of lighter color going from her chin to her back legs. Nursing Crashkit and Volekit. (Darkclaw's kits)  
 _Spiderweb -_ Dark blue she-cat with silvering in her fur and pale blue eyes with reduced visibility. Nursing Spiralkit, Ragekit, and Hazekit. (Wasptail's kits)  
 _Snakecoil -_ Large, long-furred black she-cat with one yellow eye and one green eye. Expecting Padstar's first litter of kits.

 **Elders:**  
 _Crowbird -_ Skinny black tom with graying points and pale, blind yellow eyes. Padstar's father. Oldest tom in the forest.   
_Curlear -_ Curly-furred tri-colored brown tabby tom with long fur and large ears. Large paws. (Maine Coon heritage)  
 _Ashflare -_ Dark gray spotted tom with green eyes. He does have patches of fur missing from old age. Windwillow's mate.  
 _Windwillow -_ Sandy/ginger ticked she-cat with pale green/amber eyes.  
 _Vinecoat -_ Short, stubby gray she-cat with yellow eyes.

 **Kits:**  
 _Crashkit -_ Tortoiseshell she-cat with pale amber eyes.  
 _Volekit -_ Dark russet tabby tom with yellow eyes.  
 _Spiralkit -_ Gray marbled she-cat with dark eyes.  
 _Ragekit -_ Dark blue tom with a thick coat of fur and dark blue/green eyes.  
 _Hazekit -_ Pale gray tom with blind blue eyes.

** FROZENCLAN   
The wise and proud  
**

** "Being wise is not about how fast you can find a solution but how patiently you react to the problem itself." **

** Frozenclan cats tend to have a larger variety of fur colors than the other clans. Their lush forest and lake at the center of their territory doesn't really require their fur to be a certain color to blend in. Frozenclan cats will often swim out to the rock in the middle of the lake for the perfect sunbathing spot. They are the largest and oldest clan in the forest. **

**Leader:  
** _Gracestar -_ Pure snow white, long-furred she-cat with bright yellow eyes. She has a feather tail and very long whiskers. **  
**

 **Deputy:** _  
Pikebreeze_ \- Tall and broad dusty rossetted tom with a long tail and short fur. Apprentice: Sanctuarypaw

 **Medicine Cat:  
** _Leapdream -_ Gray, white, and orange small calico she-cat with green eyes. Stubby legs, small paws, short fur, and nubs for ears. **  
**

 **Warriors:  
** _Wrensky -_ Brown she-cat with black leg spotting and black tabby back markings. Amber eyes and a slender frame.  
 _Nightowl -_ Short-furred black she-cat with green eyes. Apprentice: Applepaw  
 _Ripplewhisker -_ Silver and white spotted tabby tom with exceptionally long whiskers and long fur. Blue eyes.  
 _Stonetooth -_ Dark gray/blue tom with pale green/yellow eyes. Apprentice: Daffodilpaw  
 _Minnowfin -_ Dark silver rosetted tom with blue eyes. Apprentice: Leopardpaw  
 _Flintheart -_ Dark gray and black tabby tom with a white patch on his chest and dark blue eyes.  
 _Tadberry -_ Dark brown tabby tom with very short fur, very long legs and broad shoulders. He has green eyes and a thin scar across his neck.  
 _Cloudsroar -_ White tom with yellow eyes and a feathery tail.  
 _Brightflank -_ Ginger she-cat with green eyes and lighter yellow undercoat.  
 _Frogsun -_ Brown/gray tabby tom with dark green eyes, tall legs and broad shoulders. Apprentice: Smallpaw  
 _Reedboulder -_ Reddish brown tom with a white belly, paws and muzzle and long, silky fur.

 **Apprentices:  
** _Sanctuarypaw -_ White and black chimera tom cat with a green eye on the black, right side of his face and a blue eye on the white, left side of his face.  
 _Applepaw -_ Cherry blonde tabby she-cat with green eyes.  
 _Daffodilpaw -_ Ginger tabby she-cat with yellow eyes and shaggy fur.  
 _Leopardpaw -_ Lanky, long cinnamon rosetted tom with dark amber eyes.  
 _Smallpaw -_ Small lilac tom with yellow eyes.

 **Queens:  
** _Blossomrain -_ Blonde she-cat with dark coppery eyes and long, thick fur. Nursing Waterkit, Sunkit, and Poppykit. (Pikebreeze's kits)  
 _Gillsplash -_ Blue/gray she-cat with faint tabby markings and dark green eyes. Nursing Icekit and Graykit. (Ripplewhisker's kits)  
 _Eveningflame -_ Dark ginger she-cat with dark amber eyes. Expecting Stonetooth's kits.  
 _Heronwisp -_ Slender white she-cat with gray/blue points and pale yellow eyes. Expecting Reedboulder's kits.

 **Elders:  
** _Daybrook -_ Pale ginger and white tom with dark green eyes and a cropped tail.  
 _Birdclaw -_ Black, small she-cat with long fur and dark blue eyes.  
 _Chestnutfang -_ Brown she-cat with a faint ticking to her fur and amber eyes.  
 _Quailtalion -_ Gray tabby tom with white toe points and blue eyes.  
 _Rosepond -_ Pale red she-cat with white tail tip and belly and green eyes.

 **Kits:  
** Waterkit - Small pale blonde tom with with pale yellow eyes.  
Sunkit - Sandy blonde she-cat with thick fur and copper eyes. She has white paws.  
Poppykit - Brown rosetted she-cat with large ears and dark eyes.  
Icekit - Silver she-cat with faint tabby markings and pale blue/gray paws. She has blue/green eyes.  
Graykit - Spotted gray tom with green eyes.

**CHASMCLAN  
** **The stealthy and stoic**

**"Just keep in mind: the more we value things outside our control, the less control we have."**

**This clan resides in the depths of the void in the ground that was caused generations ago by an earthquake. The ledges along the chasm walls provide ample resting spots and the fallen tree is the only way in and out of their camp. The rest of their territory is in the forest on the other side of Burningclan. They pride themselves on having tamed the depths of the trench.**

**Leader:  
** _Cinderstar -_ Nimble ashy gray tom with dark orange eyes and long claws.

 **Deputy:**  
 _Shockstrike -_ Pure black, short-furred tom with dark coppery eyes. Large and imposing. Other clan cats suspect he may have come from twoleg place.

 **Medicine Cat:**  
 _Badgersnarl -_ Mainly black tom with a small whtie patch on his shoulder and over his right eye. He has green eyes and no tail.  
 **Medicine Cat Apprentice:**  
 _Twistedtail -_ Dark ginger/russet tabby she-cat with talon scars across her face that made her blind. Golden eyes.

 **Warriors:  
** _Rubblescar -_ Black tom with scars littering his whole pelt. Dark yellow eyes.  
 _Larkcry -_ Brown tom with white paws and dark spots on the back of his ears. Missing all of his claws on his front left foot.  
 _Spottedfang -_ Spotted calico she-cat with very little white on her long fur. Amber eyes. Apprentice: Thornpaw  
 _Mousefoot -_ Dark brown tom with visibe scars on his back right hind leg and green eyes.  
 _Frostbite_ \- Whitish gray she-cat with dark bluish black points, short fur and pale, hazey blue eyes.  
 _Acornhop -_ Muddy brown she-cat with a white underbelly, paws and muzzle as well as copper eyes. Apprentice: Thicketpaw  
 _Redflash -_ Russet marbled tom with a black tail tip and ears. Dark green eyes and a large build.  
 _Shadebramble -_ Dark blue/gray tom with semi-spikey short fur and green eyes.

 **Apprentices:  
** _Thornpaw -_ Sandy brown tom with darker brown tabby stripes and copper eyes.  
 _Thicketpaw -_ Sandy brown she-cat with dark brown tabby facial markings and yellow eyes. Thornpaw's sister.

 **Queens:  
** _Ebonywhistle -_ Black rosetted she-cat with coppery eyes. Nursing Edgekit. (Rubblescar's kit)  
 _Adderscale -_ Dark brown she-cat with a freckly appearance and white paws as well as green eyes. Expecting Mousefoot's kits.

 **Elders:  
** _Spotfur -_ Ginger spotted white she-cat with pale yellow eyes.  
 _Flynose -_ Dark gray, black striped tabby tom with murky green eyes.  
 _Mudfluff -_ Dark brown thick-furred tom with a fluffy tail, ears, and chest and dark yellow eyes.

 **Kits:**  
 _Edgekit -_ Large black tom with yellow/copper eyes.

**CONNECTCLAN  
** **The peaceful and loyal**

**"Loyalty is about others who stay true to you behind your back."**

**Connectclan resides in the abandoned wheat feilds that stretch from Frozenclan's forest to Chasmclan's forest, directly south of Burningclan. They rarely have dark colored cats in their ranks as the dark fur color does not blend into the wheat. They are the smallest clan, but agile and very loyal to one another.**

**Leader:  
** _Blazestar -_ Pale ginger tom with a dark ginger stripe on his forehead, broad with dark green eyes. Apprentice: Harepaw

 **Deputy:  
** _Ivoryflower -_ Pale blonde/lilac spotted she-cat with white paws and shoulders and copper eyes.

 **Medicine Cat:  
** _Pricklepool -_ Sandy brown tom with spikey fur and dark tabby stripes and yellow/green eyes.  
 **Medicine Cat Apprentice:** _  
Longpaw -_ Long ginger tom with a long tail and very skinny build. Pale yellow eyes.

 **Warriors:  
** _Ospreywing -_ Pale gray tom with a white belly, thick fur and blue eyes.  
 _Runningclaw -_ Pale brown and black tabby tom with a white belly and dark amber eyes.  
 _Wheatstripe -_ Pale golden brown tabby tom with small white patches and amber eyes.  
 _Sandripple -_ Dusty brown spotted tabby tom with pale yellow eyes.  
 _Whitesun -_ White she-cat with sparse ginger patches and dark green eyes.  
 _Miststalk -_ Silve striped tabby she-cat with short fur, white paws, and yellow/blue eyes.  
 _Kestralfoot -_ Pale sandy brown, curly-furred tom with green eyes.  
 _Burrowbelly -_ Brown tom with a wite belly and short fur and copper eyes.  
 _Marigoldspring -_ Mainly ginger calico she-cat with white paws, white tail, gray shoulders, gray muzzle and green eyes.

 **Apprentices:  
** _Harepaw -_ Dusty brown tom with white ears and pale yellow eyes.

 **Queens:  
** _Cricketsoar -_ Spotted light brown, short-furred she-cat with forest green eyes. Expecting Wheatstripe's kits.

 **Elders:  
** _Fadenose -_ Small gray tom with faint rosetted markings and blind blue eyes.  
 _Hawkclaw -_ Brown tabby tom with white patches and amber eyes.  
 _Beetlewing -_ Pale ginger she-cat with dark copper eyes.

 **Cats Outside the Clans:** _  
Pixie -_ Small black she-cat with green eyes and three legs.


	2. Prologue

He watched from the shadows - the tom. Silently, he sat on the wrong side of the border, his brown fur stinking of Frozenclan stench. His eyes were narrowed and he was settled under a bush at the border, staring at the frozen stalks of wheat that made up his home in Connectclan. He knew his prey would be here. It was was nearly moonhigh, but he was patient.

The stalks stirred, yet the tom remained still, his fur fluffed against the cold. New-leaf was coming, but it was still early and still cold. His white belly was hidden under him and he felt frozen to the ground, but then he spotted his prey. The pale golden brown fur of the newcomer crept from the stalks warily and his coppery eyes followed his prey's every movement.

"Wheatstripe!" The tom called, standing from his spot under the bush. He knew he stunk of Frozenclan, but he needed this. The clans had been at peace for too long, the cats he once admired were turning soft. 

Wheatstipe's amber eyes widened in shock until he recognized his fellow clanmate. "Burowbelly!" Wheatstripe sighed in relief. The tom crept over the broken half stalks at the edge of Connectclan's border and approached his clanmate. He sniffed the air and paused, staring into the forest being the brown tom. "Frozenclan cats are near!" He hissed, ducking down, his eyes narrowed at the forest.

Burrowbelly feigned shocked and turned around, but he was praying the fool of a tom would wouldn't call for the moonhigh patrol that would be nearing eventually. Turning back around, Burrowbelly's eyes gazed at Wheatstripe. Foolish tom. "There are no Frozen-cats here at this time,"

Wheatstripe slowly stood back up, gazing in confusion at his fellow clanmate. "Then why . . . " The tom stepped forward and sniffed Burrowbelly's neck. "Why do you smell like Frozenclan? Don't tell me you've been exploring their territory? They'll blame us for stealing prey or something! Frozenclan are a lot larger than us!" Wheatstripe's pale fur was spiked in worry, but Burrowbelly only chuckled in dark humor.

"No, I wasn't traipsing our enemy's territory, Wheatstripe." Burrowbelly corrected, enjoying these last few moments. He looked at his paws, a moment of doubt creeping into his mind - no, he had to do this. For the sake of the clans future. If they went soft, who knows what could destroy them. "I'm sorry, Wheatstripe. You're a good cat,"

"Wha-" The scream of a dying cat peirced the chilly night air as Burrowbelly sank his teeth into Wheatstripe's throat. He never suspected anything. As his clanmates flailing paws scratched his shoulders, he held him until his dying breath left his body. Blood stained the front of Burrowbelly's chest and poured from the pale tom's throat.

Lowering his clanmate to the ground, Burrowbelly pushed all remorse out of his body and pulled the body over a scent marker of Frozenclan. Stepping coldly away from his former clanmate, he could hear the thundering paws of Connectclan's moonhigh patrol getting closer as he slinked away beyond both territories to clean up. The last thing Burrowbelly allowed himself to remember was the mourning wail of a she-cat who just lost her mate.


	3. Chapter One | Cricketsoar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story does have 7 main characters. Each chapter title will state which one we are currently following. Chapters will be written in third person.   
> Our main characters:  
> Cricketsoar - Connectclan  
> Tadberry - Frozenclan  
> Torchmask - Burningclan  
> Briarwwish - Burningclan  
> Shockstrike - Chasmclan  
> Larkcry - Chasmclan  
> Frostbite - Chasmclan

The night was still in the she-cats ears. There were no sounds coming from the forest, no birds chirping in the grasses. Not even the breeze rustling the grass. The only thing she smelled was the blood of her mate smothered in the scent of Frozenclan. All she could see was the body of her mate with his throat ripped out. All she could feel was the pain of loosing him.

"Cricketsoar," 

The somber, quiet voice came from above her. Pricklepool's paws had left her stomach and he was gazing at her with pity and concern. "You're expecting," He stated, but there was no happiness in his voice. The sandy brown tom crouched down and pressed his nose into the light-brown she-cat's forehead. "I'm sorry."

Cricketsoar looked to her stomach, feeling sick. "Wheatstripe won't be here to meet his kits," She mumbled, her voice hoarse from the crying. If she could shed tears, she would have. 

"But he left you the most precious gift a she-cat could have." Pricklepool sat back and his yellowish green eyes held the concern that most of her clan had been looking at her with for the last moon. Tonight was the night of the full moon. Blazestar had promised that he would make sure they found the cat who did that to her mate, but she didn't care about that, she just wanted her tom back. She was going to be having his kits, his babies . . . but he wouldn't be here to meet them, to name them, to watch them grow into fine warriors.

Speaking of Blazestar, the ginger tom poked his head into the healer's den. His dark green eyes scanned the den before landing on Cricketsoar. "Would you like to join us at the gathering tonight, Cricketsoar?" His voice was deep and tender, but also held a reserved sound as if he was talking to a kit. 

Determined to prove to her clan that she was still capable, Cricketsoar stood and nodded. "I'd be honored to accompany the clan to the gathering. If a Frozenclan cat did kill my mate, I want to be there to look them in the eyes and ask why." Her voice was hard and her eyes narrowed. All she wanted to know was why her mate had been killed. She wanted his killer to know what he'd taken. He'd left a she-cat without her mate, kits without a father, a sister without her brother.

"Should you be travelling that far, Cricketsoar?" Pricklepool asked, stepping in between the leader and Cricketsoar. "You're due in about a moon."

"I need to be there, Pricklepool," the she-cat urged. She was the only expecting cat in their small clan, they needed the kits to be healthy, but she _had_ to be there. "If my kits are anything like they're father, they'll be strong."

"Both of you, come on. The others are waiting for us." Blazestar backed out from the small den and headed over to the small group of cats. Cricketsoar stayed by Pricketpool's side. The group of cats that were going to the gathering consisted of Ivoryflower the deputy, Runningclaw, Whitesun, Burrowbelly, Marigoldspring, Harepaw, and Beetlewing an elder.

Blazestar made his way to the front of the group. Connectclan was the smallest clan in the forest, not often respected by the other clans. If Frozenclan really did kill her mate, Blazestar would declare war, but Frozenclan was double their size. Hoping that the other clan would see their reasoning and hand over the traitor to the warrior code, Cricketsoar held onto that hope.

Their pale ginger leader yowled and the cats took off. The long wheat stalks and grasses of their territory were dense, but the cats had made a few set trails for times like this. The trail to Star Hollow was the widest trail in their clan and so Cricketsoar didn't have to worry about tripping, but she did fall to the back of the clan as they ran, running next to Beetlewing and Harepaw. She couldn't bare to be near Marigoldspring who ran at the front of the group, the calico having been Wheatstripe's sister.

"I'm sorry for what happened, Cricketsoar." The elder she-cat was Blazestar's mother and a wise she-cat. Cricketsoar understood where their leader got his compassion from. Blazestar had not only lost her mate before she became an elder, but she'd also lost three litters with the fourth being Blazestar. "I remember when Cornscratch left me to join our ancestors and how much it hurt, but he died of greencough. I can't imagine what you're feeling. It's acceptable if you want Wheatstripe avenged."

Cricketsoar shook her head. No matter what, she couldn't condone killing. "All I want to know is why they did it and I want them to know what they took away. At least then I can get to forgiving them. If we kill them for revenge, we're no better than them." Catching the elder's eyes, she saw the pride that the elder she-cat exibited in her dark coppery hues.

It didn't take too much longer for the group of cats to reach the Star Hollow. Surrounded by a small stream of water, the Star Hollow was touched on all sides by one of the four clans. From the north was Burningclan with the larger than life dark cats. From the west came Chasmclan, the cold-hearted cats that elders told kits about to make them behave. From the east was Frozenclan, the clan of cats who thought they owned the forest, who always acted like they knew everything. From the south was Cricketsoar's clan, Connectclan and she couldn't be more happier to have been born into her clan.

The other clans were already gathered in the hollow and the other leaders were atop the rock pile the moment they noticed Connectclan's arrival. Sticking close to the elder, Cricketsoar followed her clanmate to a seating spot a decent length away from the other cats.

Sitting atop the rock pile were Padstar, the black and white tom, leader of Burningclan. Gracestar, the long-furred, pure white she-cat, leader of Frozenclan. Cinderstar, an ashy gray tom, leader of Chasmclan. With Blazestar joined them, he stood away from Gracestar and next to Cinderstar.

Padstar was the eldest leader in the forest so he stepped forward first. "The Gathering can begin!" He called, raising his tail for silence. The hollow fell silent and the soft green eyes of the tom scanned the crowd. "I'd like to start the gathering on a good note! Burningclan would like to announce of new life as Spiderweb has given birth to three healthy kits; Spiralkit, Ragekit, and Hazekit and Snakecoil is expecting my own kits soon." His smile was almost refreshing, but Padstar had always been an oddly friendly tom, but wasn't Snakecoil a bit too young for him? "Burningclan will be bursting with the new additions this new-leaf!"

Many cats yelled out their congratulations. The black and white tom stepped back and beckoned Gracestar forward. The elegant she-cat really fit her name for she stood as if she had long ago learned to steel herself against any trouble with the grace of a butterfly.

Her bright yellow eyes were jovial from Padstar's happy announcements. "As you all know, this leaf-bare was harsh for Frozenclan due to the greencough, but I will announce that all of our cats have recovered their full health. We've even appointed a new warrior - Reedboulder!" A reddish brown tom stood up from the crowd with his head bowed slightly in what seemed like embarrassment. His back was facing Cricketsoar and he quickly sat back down when Gracestar stepped back.

The third leader was Cinderstar. He seemed more relaxed and bored than friendly, but Cinderstar was almost the opposte of Padstar. "A fox was scented on our border with Burningclan two days ago, so be careful. Adderscale is also expecting kits and we expect them all to be healthy and strong." His tone was dark and it gave Cricketsoar a chill along her spine. His dark air could have made her mistake him for Wheatstripe's killer, but he was a leader and Chasmclan, not Frozenclan.

When it was time for Blazestar to step forward, their leader didn't show any signs of grief or anger. He stood in front of the other leaders with a expressionless face. "I'd like to announce that our clan is growing with Cricketsoar as she's expecting kits." He took a pause, his toneless voice shocking to the other clans that knew him as being nearly as jovial as Padstar. "Sadly, her mate Wheatstripe has left us to join the great cats in the stars." His growl was audible even to Cricketsoar, who was at the back of the hollow.

"Blazestar, what . . ." Padstar stopped as Blazestar fixed him with a heated gaze. Turning back to the gathering, Blazestar found Cricketsoar's eyes as he announced his final message. "Wheatstripe was _murdered_."


	4. Chapter Two | Tadberry

The night seemed to get considerably darker after Blazestar's accusation. What all of the leaders had said so far had been about new life really, but Blazestar had seemed a little off. The two Connectclan cats Tadberry had been sitting inbetween had shown no signs of what their leader had just announced, but how wrong he was.

Tadberry was furious that Blazestar would suggest that a cat had murdered another warrior. It was against the code! His pelt prickled and he noticed the Connectclan cats around him giving him odd looks and the two beside him noticably shifted away. Did they think he did this? He couldn't possibly kill another cat in cold blood!

"Blazestar!" Gracestar called out softly, but sharply. "What are you accusing?" Her voice was questioning, but not hostile. 

Tadberry rose to his paws when Connectclan's leader whipped around to his leader, nearly in his face. His hiss was loud and threatening and despite his smooth fur, Tadberry noticed how his claws glinted off the rock. He may not be deputy, but if another leader hurt his own, he wasn't afraid to defend her. Many of his clanmates had rosen to their paws as well. 

"One of your cats murdered one of my top warriors nearly a moon ago!" Blazestar's tail was lashing in anger and the gathering was deadly silent. He was accusing a Frozenclan cat?! The blood in Tadberry's ears seemed to be roaring. This leader was accusing one of his clanmates!

"No Frozenclan cat would kill your warrior!" A cat yelled from the other side of the hollow. It broke the silence and there were many more caterwauls claiming Blazestar to be lying and that not a single warrior in any of the clans would cold-bloodidly murder another. "You're lying!"

Gracestar's yowl rang out over the ruckus. "My warriors would never!" She yowled indignantly. Her eyes were narrowed and her head was held higher than Blazestar's crouched, ready to pounce form. She was backed away from the leader with an outrageous look on her face. Cinderstar was watching curiously and when Blazestar tried to leap at Gracestar, Padstar jumped inbetween and pinned the younger leader back to the rock. 

"What about Starclan! What do they think?" Another cat yowled over the panic in the hollow. 

Tadberry looked up, but there wasn't a single cloud covering the moon. There wasn't even a cloud that could be seen for ages. "Blazestar," Padstar's even voice rang out. "Think about what you are saying." There was silence before the black tom spoke again. "Are you sure a Frozenclan cat killed Wheatstripe?" His question made Tadberry hold his breath. Surely Blazestar would see Padstar's reasoning and see that their clanmate had not truly been murdered by one of Frozenclan.

No one in Frozenclan would murder another cat. "Yes." Blazestar hissed quietly, but the whole forest seemed to have been leaning in to hear the pale ginger leader's words. "A cat with dark brown fur murdered Wheatstripe. His body was drenched in Frozenclan _stench_!"

Tadberry looked back up, as he noticed many other warriors did as well. The moon was still as bright as it was before Blazestar had spoken a single word. And then he realized the large circle around him. Looking down, Tadberry realized the weight of Blazestar's words. 

"Get him!"

He had dark brown fur and he was the only Frozenclan cat with dark brown fur, only two others had brown fur, but it wasn't dark.

Before any cat could touch him, Tadberry jumped away from the outstretched paws of another dark brown cat. Burrowbelly was the one leading the chase. The Connectclan tom had an unreadable emotion in his eyes and when the other cats saw who Burrowbelly was chasing, they didn't hesitate to fall in line. A killer wasn't acceptable in any of the clans and many of the cats were taking Blazestar's words for it.

"I didn't kill anybody!" He yelled as he dodged outstretched claws. He'd be safe in his territory. "I didn't kill anybody, I swear it by Starclan!" 

"Tadberry!" The voice of Sanctuarypaw caught his attention and he turned to the apprentice. Taking a leap, he jumped behind the cats that had formed a tight barrier. His cats. Panting, Tadberry noticed Frostbite and Rubblescar from Chasmclan in the barrier as well as a few Burningclan cats. But he did notice the lack of Connectclan cat's.

The pursuit stopped at the yowl of Padstar and the cats bared their teeth at his clanmates and the cats protecting him. Tadberry turned his head to watch Padstar jump off from the top of the rock pile. The old tom was highly respected among all of the clans. He was larger than most large cats, sleek, and kind. The only cat older than him were the eldest elders.

The black tom walked inbetween the cats and turned to the ones that had been chasing Tadberry. The other three leaders had followed Padstar off of the rock pile, but they didn't interrupt. "Is this what Starclan wants? For us to turn on each other at the drop of a leaf? I don't think it is. If Tadberry says he didn't kill anyone, what proof do you have that he did? I'm not accusing anyong of murder, but Blazestar has solid evidence that some cat has killed Wheatstripe."

Padstar raised his head above the crowd. "This gathering has come to a close. If there is a killer on the loose, we must not waste time wrongfully blaming others." For some odd reason, Padstar lowered his gaze to Burrowbelly and Tadberry wondered if the leader blamed Burrowbelly for starting the chase. 

Gracestar was behind Tadberry when the Burningclan cats left. Cinderstar and Blazestar called their cats to them, but the cats Gracestar had brought had already formed a protective barrier around Tadberry. "Let's leave, Frozenclan." His leader ordered, still angry from Blazestar's accusation. "We'll discuss this in the safety of our borders with the rest of clan."

As they left, Tadberry looked back and noticed the distinctive body of his mate lingering where the Frozenclan cat's had just been. Her blue eyes stared in his general direction, and she looked upset. Finding Sanctuarypaw, Tadberry lowered his head. "Psst, Sanctuarypaw," he hissed quietly. The deputy's apprentice slowed his walking and was soon right beside. "Cover for me, please."

The apprentice looked back and with a shake of his head, nodded. Tadberry slipped away from behind his clanmates and ran back to Frostbite before she would leave. He nuzzled her neck to let her know he was there and she returned the nuzzle, both of them heaving a sigh of relief. "What's going on, Tadberry? Blazestar can't think that a Frozenclan cat killed Wheatstripe . . . . can he?"

Sighing, Tadberry pulled away. "I don't know, Frostbite. Starclan didn't even cover the moon which means they agreed with Blazestar."

The blue colorpoint, white/gray she-cat gave Tadberry's cheek a lick, her blind eyes gazing into his seeing ones. "I'm sure Blazestar will come to his senses."

"Yeah," Tadberry responded, a defeated sigh in his voice. He didn't wake up this morning planning to be suspected of murdering another clan's warrior. "He'll come to his senses."


	5. Chapter Three | Torchmask

Torchmask didn't immediately follow Padstar as his leader left the hollow with the rest of the Burningclan cats. They were the last clan to leave the hollow after Frozenclan left and honestly, Torchmask was wanting to see his best friend, but when Chasmclan's deputy left striding right alongside his leader, the dark brown tabby tom raced after his clanmates. 

Catching up to his clan wasn't a problem. He wove through hic cats and up to Padstar, huffing slightly as he came upon his leader's side. The large black tom strode silently through the forest, his eyes wandering all around his he led his clan back to camp. "Padstar," Torchmask huffed. "Can you believe Blazestar would accuse another warrior of killing Wheatstripe?" The deputy knew his leader was thinking something because it was like he could see the wheels churning through Padstar's wide green eyes. 

Padstar's gaze met Torchmask's as the leader spoke, slowing his pace. "I believe Blazestar is in his rights to feel upset over the warrior's death. Everyone should mourn the passing of a great cat no matter the clan they come from, but he shouldn't have accused Frozenclan. He told me he found fur in the tom's claws and that he smelled of Frozenclan. Am I to retaliate against the grieving tom and shut down his accusations? Am I to not believe him just because he leads a different clan?" They reached the camp entrance and Padstar sat to the side as he let his warriors go first. 

"Are you saying you believe a Frozenclan cat murdered a Connectclan cat?" Torchmask asked, disbelief layering his voice. He was still young and still learning, but if he could just get into Padstar's head, maybe he could understand what his leader was trying to tell him. Padstar was old and wise and the black tom merely smiled down on Torchmask.

"I'm saying," Padstar chuckled. "That one should never take accusations at face value. See what lies beneath, try to put yourself in the other's pawsteps. Accusations are usually never right," The black tom looked hard into Torchmask's yellow eyes. "We'll speak about this as a clan, determine the best course of action if this escalates."

As Padstar walked away, through the tunnel, Torchmask sat heavily on his haunches, his mind flying fast as he tried to decipher his leaders words. When he landed on a conclusion that was so farfetched that mice flying was more believable, he spluttered. "But," He called after his leader. "That would mean . . ." But the deputy could not say it out loud. If what Padstar said was true, then that meant someone else killed Wheatstripe, someone closer to the Connectclan tom than any Frozenclan cat could have ever been.

****

Feeble sunlight wafted through the ashy brambles of the warrior den, illuminating the dark den just enough so that Torchmask knew it was the morning. He yawned, stretched, and stood up, carefully making his way around his clanmates to the outside of the den where he could wash his fur before the clan actually woke. As was his normal routine.

With his fur nice and shiny, the tabby tom was startled as Wonderpaw and Hivepaw raced past him like bats out of a cave. Torchmask watched as the young apprentices barreled over each other and initiated a playfight, laughing as Wonderpaw tripped Hivepaw and pinned the tom to the ground, grinning triumphantly. "Hah! Beat you again, Hivepaw!"

Smiling, Torchmask walked over to the apprentices. "What are you two doing up so early?" He asked. The deputy was used to being the only one awake until the sun cleared the treetops and made a larger presence through the ash covered forest.

"We couldn't sleep!" Hivepaw almost shouted, leaping to his paws as Wonderpaw got off of him. "Dappleshade was telling us that at the gathering cats started to fight and one of the leaders went crazy with glowing red eyes and was snarling at the others and that a cat was actually killed!"

Torchmask's eyes widened and his head reeled back at Hivepaw's words. Anger soured his mood as he realized he'd have to have a talk with Dappleshade about filling apprentice's heads with highly overexaggerated stories. Lowering his head to the apprentice's eye level, Torchmask made sure they knew he was serious. "No, Hivepaw, that's not what happened. A leader did not go crazy with glowing eyes and cats didn't start fighting."

"But a cat was killed right?" Wonderpaw squeaked, her eyes wide with thrill. 

Realizing that this may be a bit more than overexaggerated stories, he had to ponder what Racconslip was teaching her apprentice. "Do you know what killing is?" When both the apprentices nodded, most likely happy their deputy was talking to them, he sighed. "And do you know why killing is bad?"

Wonderpaw tilted her head. "But we kill mice and squirrels and birds,"

"What is Racconslip teaching you?" He muttered under his breath. "Correct, Wonderpaw, but killing another cat is bad. The warrior code states that a warrior does not need to kill other cats to win their battles. We give thanks to Starclan for the prey that we take, but killing another warrior is considered murder and is very, very bad." Both apprentices stared at him like a bat caught in the sunlight. "It's like if a Chasmclan cat came in and murdered Hivepaw in his sleep without anyway Hivepaw could've protected himself. How would that make you feel?"

Wonderpaw snarled and leaned into Hivepaw as the young tom stared wide-eyed at Torchmask. "I would go and rip that cat's fur from his body!" She declared, standing as tall as she could, narrowing her eyes.

"That's bad right?" Torchmask asked, waiting for them to understand.

Their was a pause as the she-cat understood what he was saying and nodded. "Very bad. No cat should kill another. We already knew that Torchmask," Wonderpaw blurted. "We've just never heard of a cat killed before, that's all." The blue/black she-cat grumbled and sulked away. 

Hivepaw stared after her, before turning back to Torchmask. "I'm not going to be killed in my sleep am I?" He asked, his voice small and timid.

Looking down at the pale ginger and white tabby tom, he shook his head and gave the apprentice a reassuring lick atop his head. "No, Hivepaw. No one will get past our defences and harm you. Now why don't you go cheer Wonderpaw up. I think she needs it."

After the apprentice had scampered off, Torchmask looked back at the warrior's den where he knew the gray and black she-cat that was Wonderpaw's mentor was sleeping. Sure Racconslip had always been a little guarded and cold, but the feirce warrior has never killed another cat before. He made a note to talk to her about watching what she says around Wonderpaw. If Racconslip's dark stories and words is making the young apprentice believe that killing was an everyday thing, he might need to remind Racconslip herself why killing was bad.

"You did good with them," 

Torchmask jumped, his fur on end as he turned around to see Padstar sitting in front of him where the apprentices had once sat. Playfully swiping at his leader, he waited for his heart to stop racing before he spoke. "You nearly scared me to death, Padstar! You can't sneak up on a cat like that!"

Padstar chuckled. "Don't worry about where Wonderpaw's mind is at or Racconslip's dark sense of humor, they fit each other perfectly. Neither she-cat would ever wrongfully take a life. You have to remember that Racconslip has been through a lot before she joined Burningclan and Wonderpaw will make a very fine warrior under her mentor's ever watchful gaze." Padstar smiled calmly and Torchmask sighed, envying how his leader seemed to know the answer to everything. It must be last night's gathering that has him so worked up. Before he wouldn't have paid any mind to the she-cat's darker personality or Wonderpaw's seemingly increasing curiosity of everything and more, but now . . . he can't help but feel a little worried. Not for himself, but for his clanmates.

"Don't get your fur in a twist, Torchmask. Your clanmates are fine, it's the other clans we have to think of now." Padstar stood and his gaze turned serious. "Come on, I've got a clan meeting to call. Everyone needs to know what happened."

Torchmask followed Padstar to the tree stump and sat at the bottom as he leader jumped on top. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beside the tree stump for a clan meeting!" The black cat called, his voice ringing through the camp.

Torchmask watched as tired cats slowly crept out of the dens. Wolfflame, the medicine cat, seems to be the most agitated about being awoken before noon, but the shaggy gray tom crawled out from the hollow rock that made the medicine den with his apprentice Tigerpaw right behind him. Soon the clearing was dotted with dark colored cats and the three light colored cats: Hivepaw, Fleettuft, and Windwillow and elder. He also noticed that Snakecoil was the only queen to exit the nursery and make her way to the clearing. 

"Cats of Burningclan," Padstar started. "I'm sure you've all heard what happened at the gathering last night, but you must not fret. Blazestar did accuse a Frozenclan cat of murdering Wheatstripe, but he did not declare war. Unless we are attacked, we have nothing to fear. But if it turns out that our help is needed, we will assist. I don't want to hear that you've involved yourselves in pointless fighting. With newleaf only now arriving our herb stocks are low and Wolfflame has not had time to restock. For now, go about your duties as you normally would. That is all." 

Like normally, the clan remained silent during Padstar's speech, but the moment he jumped down from the tree stump, the clan became loud as cats started to call out their questions. Yet, Torchmask was frozen, his mind on one thing and one thing only. If this accusation led to a war between the clans would he have to fight Shockstrike?

But more importantly, could he honestly choose Burningclan over his best friend?


	6. Chapter Four | Larkcry

By the time the sun was far past it's peak in the sky adn the sky was starting to darken, Cinderstar had yet to call a meeting to discuss the events of the gathering. Larkcry had been there and he'd worried all night and well into the morning of what would happen. Connectclan wasn't known for their hostility, but he knew they wouldn't sit and wait around for justice to be served. Some cat had been murdered, but . . . at what cost?

Grumbling to himself, Larkcry padded out of the warrior's den, unable to nap. He'd been on the morning patrol and a hunting patrol already and after a night of no sleep, he was exhausted to no end. Worry twisted his stomach in knots and when he accidentally bumped into Acornhop, it was like someone had struck him.

"Oh! Larkcry! I hadn't seen you there." The muddy brown she-cat smiled kindly at him, but frowned when she noticed he wasn't as responsive as normal. "I heard what happened at the gathering. Thicketpaw couldn't stop telling me all about it. Is that what's bothering you?"

"I can't stop thinking about it, Acornhop. The clans have been at peace for many moons. We've been able to rest for once. With the forest above camp filling back with prey, we should've been able to have a successful new-leaf, but . . ." Larkcry contined to walk down the slope from the warrior's den and Acornhop walked beside him, their fur brushing. "I can't help but think that such an incident will bring this peace crashing down."

As they were at the bottom of camp, Larkcry sat beside the slope and invited Acornhop to sit beside him. "Cinderstar hasn't called a meeting to discuss last night and I haven't seen Shockstrike or Twistedtail at all today."

"Are you worried about your sister?" Acornhop mewed softly. Briarwish was a topic many cats refused to speak about or remember. When his sister left the clan, Cinderstar had been outraged, but he let her go. The rest of the clan scorned his sister for leaving. Over the moons, Acornhop has been the only one he's had to confide in about the lonliness. Because of Briarwish a lot of his clanmates tend to avoid Larkcry and the few who are his closest friends aren't usually around when he needs them.

"How can I not worry about her? She isn't here with me and I can't protect her anymore." Larkcry's voice was filled with sadness, but then most of the times it always was. 

Acornhop leaned into the slightly taller tom. "I believe she'll be fine. You'll see her at the next -"

"Cats of Chasmclan!" Cinderstar's voice interrupted what Acornhop was going to say and when the two looked over, their leader was sitting in front of his den, on the ledge he stood upon to speak to his clan. "Join beneath me for a clan meeting!"

"Looks like Cinderstar's back." Acornhop stood up and when the two started to walk over to the meeting spot, Larkcry froze. The she-cat beside him spotted it as well and sat down, refusing to get any closer. 

Larkcry sat beside her, staring at the intruder with fiery hostility. "Looks like we know where Cinderstar was," Acornhop hissed in his ear and Larkcry nodded. He couldn't find the words to discribe what his leader had done. Sitting in the middle of the meeting clearing was a Connectclan cat. The pale tom stood out in the darkness of the camp and Larkcry could hear the many hisses and growling that was aimed his way.

Cinderstar raised his tail and the clearing fell silent. Larkcry looked up to his leader, his eyes narrowed. What exactly was Cinderstar thinking? Why would he bring a Connectclan cat here?!

"In light of recent events, I traveled to Connectclan with Shockstrike and Twistedtail." Cinderstar's cold, dark orange eyes swept over the gathered cats, resting for a moment longer on Larkcry. "I wanted to see for myself the scene where the heinous act was committed. It still reeks of the blood of their lost clanmate and Frozenclan stench. Blazestar and I have come to an agreement. If Frozenclan does not offer up the traitor to the warrior code, we will force their paw. Blazestar has offered a small part of their territory for this alliance. Runningclaw is here as a messenger between myself and Blazestar. He is not to be harmed and he is welcome to our prey. If war does happen, he will go back to his clan."

The clan was silent in shock. War? Not every cat felt the same way as Larkcry and when he looked around the clearing, he noticed that many of his clanmates had their claws out and a gleam in their eyes. One thing the other clans had right about Chasmclan was that they loved to battle. Larkcry would be one of those cats if Briarwish had been here, by his side. 

"That is all. Prepare your apprentices, sharpen your claws. If worse comes to worst, we will be ready." Cinderstar disappeared into his den and as the clan gathered around Runningclaw now that they knew why he was here, Larkcry couldn't bring himself to feel as battle-ready as the rest of them.

Standing from his spot, the brown tom made to head to the unused part of camp, the part that was narrow and darker than the rest. "Wait, Larkcry," Acornhop's voice stopped him and he turned back to look at her, his body portraying his worry and unrest. The she-cat bounced over to his side, looking at him with genuine concern. "It won't come to war, Briarwish will be fine."

The tom lowered his head and laid down, out of the way of the any other cats that may want past. Acornhop laid beside him, her head over his back, purring softly as she groomed him. "I'm sure it'll all sort itself out. Starclan won't let a traitor to the code go unpunished."

Larkcry's eyes traveled up the sky, the first star of the night blinking feebly in the quickly fading sunlight. "I hope you're right." He whispered, praying to Starclan that they set things right before their precious clans went to war.


End file.
